Many gathered Sunday to mourn the death of Alton Corey Vann

Investigators continue to search for clues about who killed a 20-year-old man early Thursday morning in New Hanover County while friends and family cope with the loss.
Many gathered Sunday night to mourn the death of Alton Corey Vann, who most knew as just Corey. In their sorrow, they are still looking for answers as to who shot and killed him early Thursday morning.
A makeshift memorial stands along River Road where Vann's body was found. Since, dozens have stopped by to write personal messages to say good-bye to the life that was lost.
Family friend, Jesse Anaya said he is in shock to know Corey is gone. "He was a lovable kid, he was always doing favors for everybody. He was there for you when you needed him and I don't understand why they would do this to him," he said.
Family members said Vann called his father when he left work at a Brunswick County nursing home around 11:00 Wednesday night, and said he was tired and going home. That was the last they heard from him. Preliminary autopsy results show he died from a gunshot wound to the head.
Many have stopped by the memorial to pay their respects, while sending a message to his killer. "Whoever did this, if they are man enough, they should come forward and say, ‘I know what I did was wrong,’ but they are not going to do that. They were cowards to shot him in the head, or whatever, that's not right," Anaya said.
It is clear from the messages scrawled across his memorial, and the outpouring of the community at his wake, he is truly missed.
Investigators believe they have strong leads. They said Vann's death does not appear to be a random act of violence.

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First, I would like to thank each and everyone for all the kind things and all the support you have shown for my baby boy.He was a man but in my eyes he was my baby. For those who are so quick to judge and all the cruel things you are saying, I sincerely hope and pray that you never have to bury a child. Parents try and raise their children the best they can, and they don't always go in the direction that you hope they would.They make mistakes,we all make mistakes and each and every one of us will continue to make mistakes in life.Corey made his share,but he also realized that he wanted to turn his life around and that is exactly what he had done.He loved his job and was so proud of the way his life was going.Corey was a giving person and full of life, smiling and laughing all the time.He loved his family and his friends.Those that knew Corey loved and cared for him very much.Those of you that didn't know him, don't be so judgemental.You never think anything this tragic could happen to you,but I am here to tell you it can.Unless it has happened to you, you can't even imagine the pain and hurt a mother feels.For those of you that have children and have had cruel things to say, please stop and think that one day it could happen to you.I will pray that you will never feel the pain and suffering that I do.

People who have judged Corey and said bad things about him are just trying to make themselves feel as if they don't have anything in common with him. If they can't identify with him, then they can justify in their heads that this could never happen to them. But it can. I'm praying every day that they find Corey's murderer(s). I truly believe he was an inherently good person.

You are so right in everything you said. You must ignore all those on here that have made all the cruel and heartless comments, they have NO clue what you are going through right now. May God bless you and see you through this and know that your prescious baby is in a better place.

I only knew Corey for a short period of time, but I knew him well enough to know that he WAS a good kid on the inside. We all make mistakes in life, that's part of growing up. Sometimes we hang out with the wrong people or get wrapped up in doing the wrong thing, but Corey never did anything to deserve such a horrible end. How anyone could even suggest such a thing is preposterous! I know firsthand that people who have never walked in someone's shoes or have even had a close friend/family member who had something this terrible happen to them has NO RIGHT WHATSOEVER to be running their mouth in a negative way. Do YOU understand what it is like to lose a child? Do YOU understand what it is like to lose a best friend or a brother? Then, understand this: It helps the friends and family of someone who has been killed to cope with their loss by having a memorial at the scene in which they died. It is less of a distraction to drivers than when they use their cellphones while driving (which a lot of you are guilty of), or texting while driving, or eating & drinking while driving. If you people would just pay more attention to what you are doing while you are driving then there wouldn't be an issue. I send my condolences to Corey's family & I hope the WPD are able to find who is responsible for this.

I have to agree with the comments about people needing to make memorials for loved ones. To those who want to put the blame on families and friends who are remembering their loved ones, this is far from their fault. What is the difference if someone puts up a yard sale sign? Its not as though they are running down the street naked, and painted purple. It is totally the fault of the idiot on the cell phone, trying to rubberneck to catch a glimps. They cause the accidents, not the families who have put a cross and some flowers on a site. If those people wanted to take a look, they are more than welcome to pull over and do so. What kind of heartless idiot would even fix their lips to comment about such a thing, when a family has lost a their loved one forever. Sheesh..what is this world coming to? Find something better to cry about. Really...
My prayers are with the family and friends of this young man. Dont let these peoples comments hurt you. You know who your son was, and so does his maker. That is all that matters. God Bless.

Every one of these extremely TACKY memorials are nothing more than garbage on the side of the road that DO cause accidents, just like cell phones or yard sale signs which are ALSO tacky. They are ugly and just make our streets look like a junk heap. OUTLAW them

I must first say my heart goes out to Corey's family and friends for your loss. I second am shocked by the disrespect and ignorance posted by some of the bloggers here the last couple of days. I did not know Corey but my heart was touched when the story first broke.
You see like Corey, I too was young at one time, and did my share of partying and running like most young people do, many a summer night between Carolina and Topsail Beach. I am suprised I did not end up dead several times..I guess luck was on my side. Over time I got my stuff together and finished college, moved away and made something of myself.
I'm sure we all have some skeletons in our closet no matter how holier than thou we seem on the outside. It does not matter what his past was, just sad that a young man is no longer here with us and never got a chance to see the next chapter in his life...stop all the negative vibrations, pray for his soul and the family and give thanks that you lived to see another sunrise!

Memorials aren't hazardous, it's the people who stop to read them that pose the hazard. Don't blame the people who want to remember a loved one or friend, blame the ones who feel the need to slow down and read them. Park your car and read them.

They are the cause of people stopping therefore they are the hazard. Worse are people who don't even stop or slow down to try to read them. Get these things OFF the road! If you want to remember someone or leave flowers or notes or other paraphenalia...go to the cemetery and leave it there!

I'm sorry but these memorials are SO tacky. They really should be made against the law. It makes the streets look like a graveyard or some weird tombstone-esque place. Plus they are a hazard as people slow to try to read them!

I'm soooooooooo tired of people wanting a law for EVERYTHING. Geez. Would you also like a law to put an end to my sneezing outside a 10 foot radius of my home? 'Cause boy oh boy I sure HATE it when someone sneezes. I think you and many others would like a little country called Russia. I hear they even give you bread, cheese and toilet paper. You should give it a try.

I thought those roadside memorials were stupid also, until I had a friend killed. It truly is a healing mechanism. Don't know why, but it does give those that are grieving some sort of pleasure. Please try to be open minded and realize that these circumstances could and may hit close to home one day...

READ the comments...I have had friends killed in car accidents and having flowers or anything else on the road is not going to bring them back for me. I can surely say having more people killed because of a "memorial" would certainly make me feel worse. I have been in these shoes and chose to make the tasteful choice of putting flowers on the grave, not on the roadside where they will be thrown away!

For one moment, put yourself in the place of the parents,family and loved ones. The one that died, belongs to YOU! Feel the closeness you still have with that loved one when you know that loved one was also loved by others; you are not the only one left to grieve. Everyone needs that bond. As for those slowing to read, pull over on the road and don't endanger anyone's life.

ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?! why would you even think about saying something like that... its just n ot right... he is gone now! You must have something to do with his death then if you are saying crap like that!!! RIP- ALTON COREY VANN

his record was from when he was 17 yrs old he was 20 yrs old just turn 20 in sept. he was still the type of person that if you needed the shirt off his back he would give it to you. he was a very close friend of mine. how dare you say anything off of what u read or heard on the news he knew he messed up but he had his whole life ahead of himself and was trying to turn himself around.

It's all public record...he was arrested in 09, 3 times in 08 and once in 07. That's just the past 3 years so don't tell me it was from when he was 17. He also has an outstanding warrant in Brunswick Co and by WPD

What does your record say about you?
Not just your criminal record (if you have one) but also your life record, the choices you have made, the things you have done, & the people you have wronged...
Corey's record was simple and nothing more than a few misdemeanors. Nothing that would suggest that he deserved such a horrible end. You should check yourself and your attitude before you go posting things about which you have no idea or firsthand knowledge.

My record...well, it's perfectly clean. I've received a few speeding tickets but they were only infractions. Vann has had several run-ins with the law, and some of them were FELONIES!!! Like I said above, he also had outstanding warrants in BC and for WPD. He was arrested 8 times in 08, one being an assault on a female.
And no, I have not wronged any person. I have led a fairly good life. Not perfect, but nothing compared to this person

So since you didn't know him or really anything else about him other than his record, you pass judgement on him and say he deserves what he got and that doesn't make you a "bad" person? I would say that based on your attitude about this situation you must, for one, not be very old. Anyone with a little age on them would understand that some kids have a rough start in life, it's whether or not they continue that into their adult years that really makes a difference (he was only 20 years old, and he hasn't been in & out of prison all his life). And, two, you must not understand that, here on a news comment page where friends and possibly family come to see what people have to say about the news of Corey's death, this is not the place to be making your thoughts known about what kind of person he was based on his public record. Have a little compassion for life. It's people like you that deserve to walk in others' shoes so that you might understand why people do what they do, and act like they act. You can't make this stand here or anywhere, all you can really do is keep it to yourself. You will be beaten down by far more of us that have compassion for life than those that agree with your ideals. That said, go ____ yourself _______!

To you they may be a hazard, but to others it is a way to heal and help others who are hurting over this loss begin to heal and stop feeling so sad.. You need to walk one day in their shoes before you talk about tacky... then you would be able to understand..